We demand respect from our leaders at County Hall

For the last several years most residents have been asking members of the Arcola Lakes Advisory Committee why our proposed senior citizens handicapped recreation facility has not yet been built. The plan for this building was approved and voted on several years ago by the residents and the preliminary design was completed by the architect from the Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED). The plan included a 28,000 sq. ft building; an indoor heated swimming pool equipped for the handicapped; three whirlpools; a 500 seat banquet hall; exercise room; video room; kitchen and other items. Several years later, a town hall meeting was called by parks and recreation and the commissioners. Senior citizens were bussed in to vote on their plan from as far away as District 3. After much discussion their plan was not accepted. Their plan included a 14,000 sq. ft. building and an outdoor swimming pool not equipped for the handicapped. It has been officially documented that our advisory committee called a meeting with parks and recreation, and OCED to make final plans for our senior citizens building. This meeting never took place, we never called such a meeting, never attended such a meeting. We have been requesting the minutes and sign-in sheet which they have yet to produce. At a public meeting, this same parks and recreation official made the statement that the plan they designed for us is all these people need and all these people deserve. We have been trying to contact our commissioner, Jean Monestime, in writing and via telephone and he has yet to respond. We have also been receiving threatening messages from persons associated with his office on what damage can be done if we do not accept parks and recreations plan. We were surprised to learn that a groundbreaking has been scheduled for 10 a.m., Wednesday, August 8, 2012. No one from the Advisory Committee was contacted or consulted about this event. As taxpaying citizens, the members of this committee and residents of this community we are entitled to and deserve more respect than that shown by county government officials. Melford Pinder Miami